Cricket 1895

A pril 25, 1895. CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 89 W e s t I n d ia n T e a m a t St. V in c e n t . Photo by Norton Bros., St. Vincent, per JR. W. Thomas, 41, Cheapside, E.C . ^ ab tlto n ©ostetp. The abstract and brief chronicle o f the time.— Hamlet. Ilf view of his early return to England, Cricket readers will be interested to know that George Lohmann, the famous Surrey cricketer, at the commencement of last month was on tour with the Cape Town Club. On the first of April the Cape Town eleven, which included in addition to Lohmann, Mills, Middleton, and Seccull of the South African team of last year, as well as the Australian, C. Mainon, played the first match of this tour at the Aar against a strong fourteen of the district. Lohmann was yery much in evidence with the ball. He took nine of the thirteen wickets of the locals, but at what cost was not stated. T h e y order these matters better in Australia. I think I have made use of this somewhat trite quotation quite recently, but let it pass. What I am referring to just now to illustrate the better ordering in Australia, is the very pleasant little experience the captain of the English team had at Launceston on the eleventh of March. The eleventh of March, I may add, is Stoddie’s birthday, and on the last anniversary of the date the English captain completed his thirty-second year. How the ladies of ^Launceston got to know of it Mr. Stoddart cannot tell, cannot even conjecture, but upon going to the tent at the four o’clock adjournment for a cup of tea, the ladies presented him with a very choice cake bearing the in­ scription, “ Wishing you many happy returns of the day.” Mr. Stoddart was naturally deeply sensible of the kind and considerate thoughtfulness of the ladies of Launceston in extending to him this courtesy. He thanked them sincerely, and he felt their kindness all the more because he was so many thousands of miles away from his home and relations. Mr. Stoddart will cherish that “ many happy returns of the day ” from the ladies of Launceston. And no wonder. A n o t h e r incident in connection with this particular match, which cannot fail to bring the most agreeable recollections to the English team was that the luncheons were wholly supplied and laid out by the lady friends of the local cricketers. The English team to a man declared that for tasteful decorations and quality of viands the luncheons at Launceston surpassed all prior efforts in this respect during their tour. A f t e r this one is inclined to place some credence in the rumour that more than one of the amateurs who accom­ panied Mr. Stoddart returning to Eng­ land, are returning to England no longer belonging to the unattached. C. P. F o l e y , the Middlesex amateur, who has been in South Africa, as was only to be expected from a keen cricketer, did not allow his visit to pass without a participation in local cricket. He formed one of the eleven of All Comers which opposed a so-called Natal Team on the last Saturday cf March. Though he only made nineteen, his style seems to have impressed the critics on the Western Province Ground at Cape Town con­ siderably. The Cajpe Times gives it as the general opinion that he “ is one of